DON AKER  

Don has worked as a junior/senior language arts and mathematics teacher for the Annapolis Valley Regional School Board for over twenty years.

He has published seven books and numerous short stories, articles, essays and reviews. He has also completed the Master Screenwriting course offered by the International Film & Television Workshops in Rockport Maine and also participated in the Atlantic Film Festival's Script Development workshops.

Don has co-authored language art textbooks, grades 8-11 for ITP Nelson.

Don resides in Middleton, Nova Scotia, with his wife, and two teenage daughters.

More information can be found about Don on his website:
www.donaker.com

Published Works

The Space Between
HarperCollins Canada, Fall 2007

• Highly Recommended, cm Magazine 
  Read review
• Shortlist, 2008 White Pine Award,
  Ontario Library Association

The Right Whale
Scholastic Education Canada, 2007

One on One
HarperCollins Canada, Fall 2005

• Nominee, 2008 Stellar Book Award
  British Columbia Teen Readers' Choice
• Lilla Sterling Award for excellence in children's literature, 2007
  Canadian Author's Association
• Nominee, 2007 Rocky Mountain Book Award
  Alberta Readers' Choice
• Nominee, 2007 Hackmatack Award
• Nominee, 2007 Manitoba Young Readers’ Choice Award (MYRCA)

The First Stone
HarperCollins Canada, 2003

• 2004 White Pine Award,
  Ontario Library Association
• 2004 Ann Connor Brimer Book Award,
  Nova Scotia Library Association
• "Read Canada's Best" recommended booklist,
  Canadian Children's Book Centre
• Discussed, 2006 Young Canada Reads Series
  CBC Radio

Stranger at Bay - young adult novel
Fitzhenry and Whiteside, 1997

• Shortlisted, CNIB Torgi Award, 1999
• Shortlisted, Red Maple Award, 1998
  Ontario Library Association
• Shortlisted, Ann Connor Brimer Award, 1998
• Nominee, The 1998 Blue Heron Award

Hitting the Mark: Assessment Tools for Teachers
Pembroke Publishers, 1995

Of Things Not Seen - young adult novel
Fitzhenry and Whiteside, 1995

• Shortlisted for the Manitoba Young Reader's Award, 1998
• Lilla Sterling Award for excellence in children's literature, 1996,
  Canadian Authors Association
• Ann Connor Brimer Award, 1995 Best book written by an Atlantic Canadian author
• Recommended for classroom study at the secondary level by the Nova Scotia Department of Education and Culture
• "Read Canada's Best" recommended booklist
  Canadian Children’s Book Centre

Short Fiction Published Works include:

Everything Gets Dead

• Toronto Star Short Story Contest 2002, Runner-up

Scars, The Landmarks Story Anthology
ITP Nelson 2002

• Third Prize, National Fiction Competition, 1991
  Dandelion Magazine

The Invitation

• 1998 Script Development Competition (feature length screenplay), Atlantic Film Festival
• Shortlisted, McClelland and Stewart's Journey Prize Award for best short fiction published in Canada, 1990
• 1989 Short Fiction First Prize,
  Atlantic Writing Competition
• Published in Harcourt Brace's literary anthology,
  Insights: Relationships and Responsibility

The Test

• First Prize, National Literary Competition 1990
  Canadian Living Magazine

V-Day: Anatomy of a Surgery

• First Prize, Non-fiction, 1990
  Atlantic Writing Competition